Nutrition Staff at NewYork-Presbyterian Corporate

Kurt Strauss

VP Support Services, NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Kurt Strauss is Vice President, Support Services for NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia Irving Medical Center. In this role, he is responsible for managing the Departments of Food and Nutrition, Environmental Services, Mail Services, Patient Transport, Laundry and Morgue Services for Milstein Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian Allen, NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's and Sloane Hospital for Women. Mr. Strauss joined NewYork-Presbyterian in 2015. He previously served as Managing Director at LW Hospitality Advisors and in senior leadership positions with Magna Hospitality, Intercontinental Hotel Group, and Abercrombie & Kent Destination Clubs. He began his career at the Walt Disney Company, ultimately becoming the Manager, Guest Service Operations for Disney's Yacht & Beach Club Resort. Mr. Strauss earned a Bachelor's in Business/Hospitality Management and an Associate's in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Johnson & Wales University. He is currently earning a Master of Business Administration in Health Care Administration from Ashford University.

Roydell Weeks

VP Support Services, NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center

Mr. Weeks is a visionary and strategic leader with more than 25 years of experience coaching and mentoring staff, fiscal and organizational management, and business and project management within a health care environment. He is currently the Vice President of Support Services at the NY Presbyterian Hospital for the Weill Cornell/ Lower Manhattan Hospital/Westchester Division campuses where he directs the Operations of The Environmental Services Department, Food and Nutrition, Clinical Nutrition, Laundry and Linen, Transportation and Mailroom services, The Guest Services Department, and The Support Services Business and Finance Department.

Prior to joining NY Presbyterian, Mr. Weeks worked as the Director Environmental Services at Greenwich Hospital which is part of the Yale New Haven Health System where he ensured the medical facility was clean, managed facility infection control initiatives, managed staff productivity, managed the department’s budget, and pursued business opportunities with vendors. Prior to Greenwich Hospital, Mr. Weeks was the Manager of Environmental Services at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and also held management positions at Kings Brook Jewish Medical Center and the Brooklyn Hospital Center.

Roy Weeks holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Brooklyn College.

Louise Merriman, MS, RD, CDN

Director, Clinical Nutrition

Louise Merriman completed a BS in Human Nutrition at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, Dietetic Internship and Nutrition Fellowship in Endocrinology at St. Mary's Hospital and The Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN and MS in Clinical Nutrition at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. Louise currently serves as Director of Clinical Nutrition at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. Prior to this, she held clinical and administrative positions at Geisinger Medical Center, University of Michigan Hospitals and with Hospital Dietary Services, Inc. A passionate advocate for the profession of dietetics and care of patients, Louise has worked on interdisciplinary programs for early identification, documentation and treatment of malnourished patients since the 1980's. In 2006, her clinical nutrition team at NewYork-Presbyterian was awarded the American Dietetic Association's Clinical Nutrition Practice Team Award for Malnutrition Identification and Documentation. From 2009-2011, she served on the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Malnutrition Workgroup and subsequently served as a member of the Academy's Adult Malnutrition Education and Outreach Workgroup. In 2014, Louise was one of four recipients conferred the Abbott Nutrition Alliance Award for significant contribution to improve awareness of malnutrition as well as action to address the issue. Last year Louise was invited to participate on the NYSAND Task force to address the CMS ruling on RD order writing.

Gena Seraita, MS, RD, CDN

Administrator, Dietetic Internship Program

Gena Seraita has been with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital since January 2013. Gena began as a Clinical Nutritionist at the Allen Hospital, caring for geriatric, surgical, spine, and obstetrics patient populations. Since February 2016, Gena has been working with the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Dietetic Internship Program, initially as the Senior Dietitian for the program and, since November 2019, as the Administrator of the program. Gena is passionate about student education and preceptor training, which she applies to her practice. Gena received her Bachelor's Degree in Dietetics from the University of Delaware where she also completed her Dietetic Internship Program. Gena received her Master's Degree in Clinical Nutrition from New York University. Her interests outside Clinical Nutrition and Student Education include cooking and recipe development, social media, and public health.